GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 2 definitions

1.       
   Wrench , n. [OE. wrench deceit, AS. wrenc deceit, a twisting; akin to G. rank intrigue, crookedness, renken to bend, twist, and E. wring. √144. See Wring, and cf. Ranch, v. t.]
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   Trick; deceit; fraud; stratagem. [Obs.]
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   His wily wrenches thou ne mayst not flee.
   Chaucer.
   
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   A violent twist, or a pull with twisting.
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   He wringeth them such a wrench.
   Skelton.
   
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   The injurious effect upon biographic literature of all such wrenches to the truth, is diffused everywhere.
   De Quincey.
   
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   A sprain; an injury by twisting, as in a joint.
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   Means; contrivance. [Obs.]
   Bacon.
   
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   An instrument, often a simple bar or lever with jaws or an angular orifice either at the end or between the ends, for exerting a twisting strain, as in turning bolts, nuts, screw taps, etc.; a screw key. Many wrenches have adjustable jaws for grasping nuts, etc., of different sizes.
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   (Mech.) The system made up of a force and a couple of forces in a plane perpendicular to that force. Any number of forces acting at any points upon a rigid body may be compounded so as to be equivalent to a wrench.
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   Carriage wrench, a wrench adapted for removing or tightening the nuts that confine the wheels on the axles, or for turning the other nuts or bolts of a carriage or wagon. -- Monkey wrench. See under Monkey. -- Wrench hammer, a wrench with the end shaped so as to admit of being used as a hammer.
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2.       
   Wrench, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wrenched ; p. pr. & vb. n. Wrenching.] [OE. wrenchen, AS. wrencan to deceive, properly, to twist, from wrenc guile, deceit, a twisting. . See Wrench, n.]
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   To pull with a twist; to wrest, twist, or force by violence.
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   Wrench his sword from him.
   Shak.
   
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   Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched
   With a woeful agony.
   Coleridge.
   
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   To strain; to sprain; hence, to distort; to pervert.
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   You wrenched your foot against a stone.
   Swift.
   
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